


closure

by fruectose



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, wrote this for a prompt i really hope u like the end!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:28:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29467260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fruectose/pseuds/fruectose
Summary: Percy is too old to Like-like his colleague. Maybe she's a bit too old to Like-like him too. Hope one of them does something about it.
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson
Comments: 16
Kudos: 84





	closure

Working at  _ Design Urbain _ was, perhaps, the worst possible way Percy Jackson could have been spending his time. If it weren’t for the above average pay and the fact that literally no other magazine, publication house or newspaper would have him, he might have considered quitting. But times were difficult and writers were in abundance, making him one in a sea of millions, so he took what he could get- even if he spent his time writing gibberish about beams and arches and what the inside of Angelina Jolie’s house looked like.

_ Squeak, squeak, squeak _ .

Percy took a break from glaring at his piece on Italian neoclassical architecture and an art gallery in New Zealand, and shut his eyes. He took a deep breath, trying not to think about the  _ other _ thing he might miss if he were to leave- and to tune out that stupid noise. 

_ Squeak _ .

“Will you  _ stop _ that?” He snapped, looking over his desk at the woman sitting in front of him.

Annabeth was clearly waiting for his reaction, leaning all the way back in her chair and watching him with large eyes. He scowled at her and her smile grew. She pushed back in her chair again.  _ Squeak _ . Percy would never say it out loud, but he was sure his heart skipped a beat every time she looked at him like that, with a sparkle in her eye and a dazzling grin that seemed to come out only when she irritated him.

“You are so annoying.” Percy told her. She raised a brow and squeaked her chair again.

“What are you doing?” She asked after a moment, rolling over so she was across his desk.

“Finishing up that Italy piece. What’s on your agenda for the rest of the day?”

Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Nothing. The Robinsons were meant to come in this evening and they bailed, so… I’ve got absolutely  _ nothing _ to do.” She told him. “Now I’m just bored.”

“Want to look through my article?” Percy offered. Annabeth tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and Percy pushed his laptop over to her.

He tried to swallow down his nerves as he watched her read. She was impossibly pretty- and being so close to her made his heart race. Her eyes were trained on his laptop screen, brows drawn together, and he knew that everything else had fallen away. For three years, he’d watched Annabeth as he did right now- in a world of her own, with her and her love for architecture and no space for anything else. Her ponytail was messy, strands of hair falling into her eyes, but she paid it no attention. The setting sun cast a heavenly glow onto her through the floor-to-ceiling windows. She was so beautiful, it made Percy’s heart physically hurt.

“This is really good.” She said finally. She looked up and returned his laptop to him and offered him a small smile. His chest relaxed ever so slightly. “Does this mean you’re free now?”

“Once I send it over to Dave, yeah.” Percy told her. She nodded to the laptop.

“Go on, then.”

“You’re really bossy, you know that?” Percy asked as he sent over his article to his boss. Annabeth shrugged.

“And?” She asked him.  _ And I am wholly and stupidly in love with you _ . Percy shook his head and pushed his laptop aside. Annabeth leaned all the way back in her chair again, squeaking it a couple of times for good measure.

“That is the single worst sound in the world.” Percy told her. “Did you know that?”

“Yeah. That’s what makes it so much fun.” She said. She was quiet for a moment. “Got any plans for the evening?”

Percy looked out into Manhattan, seventeen storeys below his feet and buzzing in the Friday evening excitement and sighed.

“I’ve got to stay back to make up some of my hours. Then it’s an early night and dinner for one. God, I sound like such a loser.” He rubbed his face with his hands. Annabeth’s laugh sent shivers down his spine. He swallowed down the urge to lean over his table and kiss her. “What about you? Big plans for the weekend?”

Annabeth made a face. “I’ve actually got a date tonight.” She admitted.

“Exciting. Who’s the lucky guy?”

“Don’t laugh. His name is… Tom.” She met his eye. “Don’t smile like- hey! I said you weren’t allowed to laugh!”

“Tom?” Percy asked her. “Annabeth, that’s the  _ fifth _ Tom you’re going on a date with!”

Percy laughed despite Annabeth’s instructions. She looked like she was trying not to crack up herself.

“It’s a common name.” She said, barely holding a straight face. “Who knows? Maybe it’s fifth time lucky.”

“Fifth  _ Tom _ lucky.” Percy told her. Annabeth stuck her tongue out at him. Percy’s smile came from his soul. He found himself laughing from the heart a lot around her. He wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to dwell on what  _ that _ could mean. “You looking forward to it?”

Annabeth shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know.” She admitted. “First dates have never gone well.”

“Then pretend it’s the second. Where’d you find this sorry sod?”

“I met him at your mom’s book launch, actually.”

“See? Pretend that was the first date, so this would be a second.” Percy said. Then he frowned. “It took him two months to ask you out?”

His mother’s book launch party had been so long ago. He remembered almost every moment of it- of course he did, because he’d come so close to telling Annabeth how he felt about her that night. She’d worn this blue dress and she’d had the little coral pendant he’d given her as a birthday gift around her neck, and he was absolutely, wholly in  _ love _ . And Percy had every intention of telling her just that, except his mom had called him away to introduce him to her editor, and he couldn’t muster the courage after that. So when she asked what he wanted to talk to her about, he came up with some lame excuse about needing her architectural knowledge for his latest article, and that was the end of that conversation.

Annabeth frowned. “Well… he asked me that same week, but…” Her voice trailed off and she played with her fingers. “I guess I was just putting it off because I thought… you know what? It doesn’t matter.” She said, snapping her head back up. “Because I don’t know what to wear tonight. And  _ that’s _ the real issue here.”

“I always thought you looked nice in that lavender dress of yours.”

Annabeth frowned. “Lavender dress?”

“The one you wore to Beckendorf’s barbeque.” Percy said, instantly regretting his words.  _ Fantastic _ way to play it cool around the girl you’ve only been in love with for three years, Jackson. Memorize her fucking wardrobe, why don’t you. That isn’t creepy at all.

Annabeth narrowed her eyes slightly, but it was impossible to miss the shy smile creeping up on her lips.

“You thought I looked nice, huh?” She asked quietly. Percy decided the best thing to do was to nod. “I’ll remember that.” She glanced at her phone and frowned. “It’s almost time to leave.”

Percy sighed. “Stop, you’re making me jealous.”

“Why are you staying back, anyway?”

“To make up for the hours I missed last Wednesday.”

“I don’t get company policies.” Annabeth said. “Just give me your card and I can swipe you out on my way later on.”

Percy was a little tempted. Annabeth only lived about a block away, so it really wouldn’t have been asking for much- he could just as easily walk out and pretend to have put in the hours. It wasn’t like he had much to do at work, anyway.

“I shouldn’t.” He decided. All he’d do at home was wonder why Tom and Tom and Thomas and Tomás got to go out with Annabeth while he ate his sad linguini leftovers on his own. He was better off feeling sorry for himself in a swanky architectural design magazine office. “Besides, I’ve got all the James Bond films downloaded, just begging to be re-watched.”

“I will never see the appeal in that.” Annabeth said. Before Percy could rush to Mr. Bond’s defence- only the single greatest spy of all time- she leaned back in her chair until it squeaked. Her grin was wicked. Percy was obsessed.

“You know that chair is going to give out one day.” Percy warned her. “That’ll show you for constantly getting on my nerves.”

Annabeth grinned devilishly at him, and squeaked her chair once, twice-

_ Crack _ !

Percy saw it happen in slow motion. Her expression changed before he heard the  _ snap _ ! She had just enough time to let out a startled yelp before she dropped to the ground, taking her broken, squeaky chair down with her. Percy leaned over his desk, trying his hardest to keep a straight face.

“You okay down there?” He asked.

“Shut up.” Annabeth grumbled, although she didn’t seem hurt or particularly upset. She got to her feet and Percy figured it was a safe time to let out the laughter bubbling in his belly.

“You know what they say about karma.” He told her between breaths. Annabeth beamed, completely unaffected by her recent fall.

“Aw, I was kind of attached to that chair.” She said frowning down at the remains. Percy followed her gaze. The devil chair was definitely broken, but from what he could tell it just came off at the joints.

“You could fix it.” He pointed out. “It’s only the three bolts that came loose, see?”

“I’ve got to get ready for my date.” Annabeth said. “Maybe on Monday. Catch you then?” She asked, kicking the remains of her chair under her desk sloppily.

“I could do it for you tonight.” Percy offered. Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him.

“And what, leave Pierce Brosnan hanging like that? Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m still at Roger Moore.” Percy told her. “And I think he’ll manage.”

Annabeth looked like she was going to argue, but then she rolled her eyes. Her lips twitched upwards.

“Okay.” She said, her voice suddenly taking on a very soft tone. “The dress I wore to Beckendorf’s, then?”

Percy nodded, words drying up in his mouth. Her expression was gentle, her words quiet. There was a look in her eye that was unmistakably affectionate. For one moment, he knew what it might feel like to be loved by Annabeth Chase. She hesitated for a second, words on the tip of her tongue, and then seemingly decided against it. She swallowed them back and shoved her laptop into her handbag.

“Cool. See you Monday, Jackson.” Annabeth said as she draped her jacket over her arm.

“Have a good one.”

Percy raised one hand up in farewell and she opened her mouth again, thought better of it again, and gave him a final nod before leaving. Percy stared after her, wondering what might have been if he’d just been a little bit braver, contemplating what that blush on her cheeks might have meant, imagining how cute their children might be. By the time he snapped out of it and checked the time, he realised he’d wasted an entire half hour daydreaming about his colleague, who was probably going to end up with someone with a Tom-adjacent name, anyway.

The office was almost entirely empty by now, with everyone taking an extra hour for the weekend. Only the light above Dylan’s cubicle was on. Percy walked over to Annabeth’s desk and sat down on the floor beside her chair. He set his laptop down, letting Live and Let Die play while he played around with some of the screws until he realized he was only making it worse. Why were chairs so difficult to fix? They were made up of, like, three parts in total.

He heard the elevator doors open and figured it was just Dylan’s takeaway. He was perhaps subconsciously aware, but didn’t actually pay any attention to whoever it was- his brain refused to make sense of the sound of heels against wooden floors as they approached him. What first caught his attention was the familiar strawberry perfume, a scent he distinctly associated with-

“Annabeth.” He looked up and once more, she left him completely speechless. 

Any coherent thought he might have had died in his throat at the sight of her in that lavender dress under a black coat. Her hair had obviously just been washed, and fell down her shoulders in loose waves, pulled away from her forehead with a single silver barrette. She also had makeup on; which wasn’t an entirely new concept to Percy, but it was obvious that this was  _ date _ makeup. Her pink lips were colored a deep maroon and her cheeks had the faintest traces of golden on them, like she was just a naturally shiny person. She looked down at him, one brow raised and an amused look on her face. She held up a plastic bag.

“Good. I thought I missed you. I got us an Indian.” She said. “Mind if I join?”

She didn’t wait for an answer, sitting down beside him on the floor.

“You’re going to ruin your dress.” Percy told her. Annabeth shrugged and wore a smug smile.

“I think it’s served its purpose.” She told him. Percy looked around her and frowned.

“What happened to your date?”

“Fell through at the last minute.” She didn’t look particularly upset. “Thought I’d help out a friend as he spent the night fixing my chair.”

“I don’t deserve you.” Percy told her. “You are so good to me.”

Annabeth laughed and slid over her Indian takeaway to him. He took one whiff and his mouth instantly watered. He turned back to her to find her watching him with a fond smile. Her expression was soft in a way he’d never seen her, lips quirked up and her eyes lowered. She played absently with her fingers and leaned up against the drawers.

“You’re so good to me.” He repeated, this time seriously. 

“I know.” Her voice was only a whisper.

“You okay?” He asked her as she reached out for one of the loose screws that had fallen out from somewhere on her chair. She played with it for a while before answering.

“He’s probably just not interested. If I’m being honest, I’m kind of relieved.” She said. “I can’t keep dating people if I don’t know what I’m looking for.” She looked up at him, her eyes wide and… what? Hopeful? “This just isn’t my thing. Can you actually picture me going out with a ton of strangers every night, looking to find The One or whatever?” Percy shook his head. “It’s just not who I am, I guess.”

“I always go out with girls I already know.” Percy told her.  _ Fuck _ . Why’d he say that? Annabeth looked like she was going to laugh.

“I know.” She said. “Maybe I should try that out sometime, too.”

If Percy had ever waited for the right time to ask her out, now was it. He looked at Annabeth, quiet for maybe a beat too long, because just as he started to speak, she cut him off.

“Annabeth, I-”

“I need to pee.” She declared loudly, her confidence in her urinary requisites drowning out Percy’s voice. “I’ll be back.”

She hopped to her feet and walked off without waiting for his response and Percy hit his head against her cabinet softly, once, twice thrice. Why was he cursed with being such a  _ loser _ ? He was on his fifth smack when he heard a phone buzz and light up beside him. He’d later on swear he only picked it up because he thought it was his, but he’d read the message that flashed on the screen before he could even conclude that it was, in fact, Annabeth’s phone.

**_Tom #5, 18:53_ ** **:**

_ Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. I was really looking forward to seeing you again. Hope the work thing gets sorted out, maybe we could reschedule? x _

Percy felt his cheeks heat up. He looked up to see Annabeth get out of the toilets and stop by Dylan’s desk for a chat. He watched her gesture with her hands and the halo that the dim light cast around her hair and smiled despite himself.  _ Annabeth _ had been the one to cancel her date. She’d decided to spend her Friday evening fixing a chair and watching a movie she didn’t like, eating food that was almost guaranteed to be too spicy for her- with  _ him _ .

Annabeth walked back ov


End file.
